Former Real Madrid defender Pepe has branded fans of his old club 'unenthusiastic'.

The Portugal centre-back left Madrid for Besiktas in July after winning three La Liga titles, two King's Cup trophies and three Champions League crowns.

And despite his success in Spain, Pepe criticised the Real fans, saying they don’t make as much noise as those in Turkey.

In an interview with BeIN Sports, the 34-year-old said: "Perhaps Real Madrid fans won't like me saying this but they say Real Madrid fans transmit enthusiasm but I don't think they do. That's not the reality.

Pepe won three Champions Leagues at Madrid (Image: Helios de la Rubia)

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"The Besiktas fans are very passionate. When you go out on to the pitch the noise coming from the stands always hits you."

The deafening atmosphere at Besiktas's Vodafone Arena hit the headlines in September when RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner asked to be substituted during their 2-0 Champions League defeat, with the German club saying the player was suffering from circulatory problems and dizziness from the noise.

Pepe added: "The atmosphere at Besiktas is very different to at Real Madrid. In Turkey people really love sport, they only think about football.

"After games, we can hear the noise of the supporters until the early hours of the morning."